CMS Plans Beneficiary Outreach, Will Host Third Provider Training Call

BALTIMORE–With only three weeks until the implementation of
round one July 1, CMS said Friday it will announce an outreach
effort on competitive bidding aimed at beneficiaries.

In a media advisory sent Friday afternoon, the agency said
acting CMS Administrator Kerry Weems will hold a news briefing this
afternoon to announce “Medicare’s outreach effort to
help beneficiaries learn about a new program that lowers costs for
DME under the competitive bidding program.”

On a call for beneficiary advocacy groups in early May, CMS
officials said beneficiaries in the 10 round one CBAs would receive
a mailing about Medicare’s impending changes with a list of
contract suppliers and a program brochure. In a provider training
call May 27, agency representatives repeated there would be a
mailing to beneficiaries in the bid areas, but advised providers
themselves to notify their Medicare patients about grandfathering
decisions by June 1. Since, providers have been rushing to get
those notices out. (See “Frustration Over ZIP Codes Spreads
to Round One” in this issue.)

CMS has also planned a conference call for referral agents and
non-contract suppliers to address additional questions on
competitive bidding. The call will be held June 12 from 1 p.m. to
2:30 p.m. EDT.

Participants will be able to submit questions through the online
registration system at the time of sign up for the call. To
register, go to www2.eventsvc.com/palmettogba/061208.
Registration must be completed by 1 p.m. June 11.

After the call, a replay will be accessible from 3 p.m. June 12
until 11:59 p.m. June 17. The number for the replay is 800/642-1687
and the passcode is 49895703.

Last week, the agency did release a flurry of new educational
aids for providers on how things will work post-July 1, among
them:

–a tip sheet for physicians and other treating
practitioners that outlines exceptions under which they
can provide certain types of bid items in a CBA to their own
patients without being selected as a contract supplier.

–a tip sheet for non-contract suppliers that
includes circumstances under which they can bill for bid items and
the actions they need to take to assure continuity of care for
their patients living in the CBAs. The tip sheet covers CMS’
recommendation that non-contract suppliers who decide not to become
grandfathered suppliers for oxygen and oxygen equipment notify
their Medicare patients 30 days in advance of the July 1 start date
“so that beneficiaries have adequate time to transition to
contract suppliers and not risk gaps in critical services.”
The tip sheet also gives information about picking up equipment and
the need for coordination with contract suppliers so that new
equipment is delivered before old equipment is removed.

–a tip sheet for mail order contract diabetic
suppliers that explains how this part of the program
works. Under competitive bidding, beneficiaries who live in or
travel to the 10 round one CBAs must obtain diabetic testing
supplies from a contract supplier unless an exception applies.

–a special edition MLN Matters article
(SE0820) titled “Marketing Rules Reminders for DME
Suppliers Including Contract Suppliers under the DMEPOS Competitive
Bidding Program” that describes the existing marketing rules
and prohibitions that apply to all Medicare DMEPOS suppliers.

–a companion MLN Matters article (MM5978) that
accompanies the first of several installments in the new Chapter 36
of the Medicare Claims Processing Manual about policies and
instructions under competitive bidding, including when non-contract
suppliers should obtain a signed Advance Beneficiary Notice.

–the transcript from a May 13 conference call
on competitive bidding that includes an overview of the program and
a Q&A session with participants. To access the transcript, go
to the CMS competitive bidding Web site at www.cms.hhs.gov/DMEPOSCompetitivebid, then
click on the “Announcements and Communications” tab and
scroll down to the “Downloads” section.

The tip sheets and MLN Matters articles are also available on
the CMS Web site at www.cms.hhs.gov/DMEPOSCompetitivebid. Click on
the “Provider Educational Products and Resources” tab
and scroll down to the “Downloads” section.

Additionally, Jurisdiction B DME MAC National Government
Services said last week it will host two Ask-the-Contractor
teleconferences June 19 to discuss competitive bidding. A morning
session will be held from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. ET, followed by an
afternoon session from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The call will include an overview of competitive bidding as well
as information on new modifiers, important dates and reminders and
where to find educational resources. A PowerPoint presentation will
be posted to the NGS Web site prior to the call. After the
presentation, there will be a question-and-answer session.

The call is free, but registration is required at www.ngsmedicare.com/ngsmedicare/DMEMAC/EducationandSupport/CalendarofEvents/Registration/cal_dme/contentindex_cal_dme.cfm.